


The Cage

by AspiringArtificer



Series: Star Trek: The Original Series Revisited [1]
Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Contains poorly written freeform Tellarite poetry, Gen, I apologize in advance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-03
Updated: 2020-12-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:08:02
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27862053
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AspiringArtificer/pseuds/AspiringArtificer
Summary: Yeoman Colt reflects on her career choice in the aftermath of Talos IV
Relationships: Minor or Background Relationship(s), Original Character/Original Character
Series: Star Trek: The Original Series Revisited [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2039793
Kudos: 2





	The Cage

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first story in what will hopefully become a series. I enjoy TOS, but given the show's serialized nature, I feel like some side characters and cultures don't get as much attention as they deserve. This is my attempt to flesh the canon out a bit. Also, while I might draw from Beta cannon here and there, but will ignore it when it suits me xD. If I do pull something from it, I will make a note of it.  
> 
> 
> Credit for Colt's name goes to the writers of the Star Trek: Early Voyages comic series, Ian Edginton & Dan Abnett.

_I didn’t realize the most exciting day of my job would actually take place dirt-side. I guess I made the wrong choice in my career path, haha..._  


Mia glanced up from the letter she was penning to her brother with a sigh. More and more she was realizing she genuinely _had _made a mistake becoming a Yeoman. It was just _boring _. Oh, she was more than capable– they didn’t promote just anyone to Captain’s Yeoman on the Flagship of the Fleet after all – but days of endless forms and paperwork didn’t exactly thrill her the way it did some of her fellow Yeomen like Ch’nel or Lerokette.  
____

_____ _

To be fair, she hadn’t expected it to when she’d applied for the position of Yeoman. She’d joined Star Fleet because space was her home and she couldn’t bear the thought of living anywhere but on a ship. Born a boomer on her uncle’s cargo ship, her childhood had consisted of playing tag in narrow aluminum plated corridors with her cousins, brothers, and the other crewmates’ kids, staring out the porthole from her bunk onto an endless array of stars, and only setting foot on dirt-side once every few months. She’d loved her life there, but once she was fully grown, she made up her mind that she wanted to try life on a new ship, one where her shipmates hadn’t watched her grow up and wouldn’t forever think of her as an ankle-biting wild child.  


_____ _

She’d experienced all that cargo ship had to offer, so that narrowed it down to independent science vessels, transport ships, or Starfleet. She had never been inclined towards science, and the idea of being a space stewardess didn’t really appeal to her, and so her decision had been an easy one.  


_____ _

Non-com Yeoman seemed the fastest path to getting a posting on a ship, and Mia was known for decisive action rather than reasoned contemplation, so the morning of her 18th birthday she’d sent in her application. One month later she was saying good-bye to the crew of the _Sly Iris _and ship hopping to the Academy’s Deep Space Annex site on Deep Space Station J-4. She had credit for most of the classes relating to ship safety procedures and etiquette as well as zero-g training from her years of being a fully qualified crewmember of a very respectable cargo ship. In her other classes she’d excelled through a combination of determination, disciplined studying, and blowing off steam on the weekends at wild parties with the station’s other young inhabitants. All of her previous schooling had been handled by various family members or virtual learning programs, and it was refreshing to have a healthy rotation of new faces in the different classes. In fact, she was seriously considering trying to find a job on the space station until at her graduation she was selected for a special award for academic excellence and offered a position on the Enterprise. How could she pass up the chance to work on the most famous and exciting ship in the Fleet?  
__

_______ _ _ _

The first few days had been fantastic. She’d settled into her role quickly and had gotten along great with her fellow crewmates. But once the initial thrill had worn off and the monotony set in she’d begun to regret her decision to choose the Yeoman career path. When her promotion came she thought maybe things would improve, but Captain Pike’s less than warm welcome had been unsettling, especially when she saw him treat her fellow shipmates with such warm regard and consideration. But the final nail in the coffin was when she came to the realization that she'd never be the one regaling the rec room with the exciting stories her other crewmates shared if she was the Captain's Yeoman.  


_______ _ _ _

And so, her will to get up at the start of every Alpha shift had been dwindling away. And then the Talos IV mission had happened. Yes, the Talosians were creepy and super rude, and yes the thing with the captain almost being forced to pick a “mate” from a pool that included her had been awkward, but the rest of it had been exactly what she’d wanted to experience in Starfleet - action, excitement, and adventure. Now she was back to her regular duties: filling out requisition forms and reviewing crew evaluations. How could it begin to compare now that she knew what else starfleet had to offer?  


_______ _ _ _

The _woosh _of her door broke into her reverie, and she glanced up to see her two roommates enter. Ch’nel, her bald brown head somehow glinting attractively even under the stark lighting, and Lorkette, her well-polished tusks gleaming just as bright, although less attractively in Mia’s eyes.  
__

_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Hello J’Mia, how are you this evening?” Ch’nel asked, throwing the question over her shoulder as she navigated past the bunks to their shared desk. Since the three of them had implemented a strict rule against working in their room off duty, the desk was mostly used by Ch’nel as a vanity and Lorkette as a desk for writing her poetry. Mia preferred to do any writing or reading in her bunk, where she could curl up comfortably.  


_________ _ _ _ _ _

Mia shrugged and put aside her personal PADD. “I was just writing letters back home, but I’ve lost my inspiration. How was your date?”  


_________ _ _ _ _ _

“Hmmm,” Ch’nel sighed in a rueful way that said: _while I was hoping for a more enjoyable time, things did not progress as I hoped they would _. Lorkette merely grunted and plopped down on her bunk to wrestle off her dress boots.  
__

___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Ah,” Mia said sympathetically, putting aside her PADD, “Not a good fit?”  


___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Unfortunately not,” Ch’nel replied ruefully, starting to remove the makeup from her face with a dermal cleaner.  


___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“They were boring,” Lorkette growled  


___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“By which you mean they didn’t disagree with you on every topic?” Mia asked with sarcastic innocence, grinning as Lorkette’s nostrils flared.  


___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"More so that they only topic upon which they seemed able to hold a conversation was the current results on this area's astrometric readings and how that compared to historical data," Ch'nel cut in smoothly, setting down her cleaner and turning to give Mia and arch look.  


___________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"So they just talked about the weather? Oh that is classic science division _nerd _," Mia crowed, perhaps feeling slightly more derision towards the discipline than it actually deserved. She was still smarting from the First Officer’s cold look and harsh reprimand on the bridge after their mission and scientists as a whole were suffering her resentment as a consequence.  
__

_____________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Lorkette merely grunted in annoyance and flopped onto her bunk, kicking her remaining boot off her foot to land haphazardly on the floor, while Ch'nel sighed in a way that conveyed the sentiment: _while I hate to generalize in such a way, in light of my personal experience your observation seems warranted _. Ch'nel had the most beautifully expressive sighs.  
__

_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Maybe try an engineer next time. One with the soul of a poet and the body of a goddess," Mia offered playfully.  


_______________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I _have _the soul of a poet! Just listen,” Lorkette sat up and looked into the middle distance, than began to recite:  
__

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_“My soul strums gently on the strings of my heart,  
filing my mind with a melody that cannot be contained  
but flows to my hand and through my pen  
to deliver unto the world my majesty.  
When any eye falls upon the form of my love,  
her visage, her beauty, like a thief, steals their breath  
like a fire, heats their cheeks  
like a gentle breeze... hmmm," _  
__

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

____

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She broke off in the midst of her oration, apparently not quite finished with that particular piece. Still, Mia applauded delightedly while Ch'nel rose from her chair and gracefully avoided Lorkette's discarded boot to wrap her partner in an adoring hug.  


_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Lorkette blushed and grumbled, "I'm still working on that one obviously, but my point is, we have those things. We want someone different."  


_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"But maybe not so different that they don't actually know how to carry on a conversation," Ch'nel added wryly, and Mia snorted.  


_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

The conversation fell into a comfortable lull as Lorkette sat on the edge of her bunk allowing Ch'nel to gently unbraid her hair and Mia picked up her pad and stylus again, trying to figure out how she wanted to finish her letter. Eventually she gave up and set the PADD down, then rose from her bed and raised her arms in a quick stretch before striding over to her trunk and beginning to rummage around for a suitable outfit.  


_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"I'm going to hang out in the rec room for a bit before my next shift. I'm going to need the emotional support - I have to review some personnel files for that pulsar project, and I just might expire from the tedium if I don't have some fun first."  


_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Meh, personnel reviews aren't bad. Try verifying maintenance schedules with tech specs. Now that's true tedium," Lorkette replied, now laying with her head in Ch’nel’s lap.  


_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mia grinned, “I refuse to concede my point- personnel files reviews are dull. All paperwork is- the degree of dullness blends together for me,” she pulled out a dress and examined it critically while continuing, “I'll keep my eye out for some sexy yet intellectually stimulating security officers for you guys while I’m there, how’s that?"  


_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Ooo, yes please," purred Ch'nel, and Lorkette chuckled in amusement.  


_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

A sharp tone broke the silence and all three stiffened as a voice emerged from the speaker at their door, _"Pike to Yeoman Colt, please report to my ready room in 30 minutes." _  
__

___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Lorkette and Ch’nel both looked around at her with inquiring eyes, but all Mia could do was shrug to indicate she had no idea why she was being summoned and get to her feet, her heart thrumming nervously.  


___________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Maybe it’s another promotion. _Admiral’s _Yeoman,” Ch’nel joked, trying to ease Mia’s obvious nerves.  
__

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Whatever it is, if he starts giving you a hard time again, don’t let him get away with it. Just because he’s a captain, doesn’t mean he gets to bully his Yeoman,” Lorkette growled. She and Ch’nel had been appalled to hear about the way Pike had treated Mia ever since her promotion and become quite protective of her. While Mia appreciated it, she could not imagine talking back to the Captain right now.  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

But all she said was, “Thanks guys,” and made her way out of their room and down the hall to the nearest turbolift.  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

What did the Captain want? He clearly didn’t like her- was he going to demote her? Transfer her to another ship? She’d only been on the Enterprise for a few weeks! As much as she was coming to hate the job, she loved the ship and the friends she’d made here and would be distraught if she had to leave now. Not to mention how that would look on her official record. If only she hadn’t been promoted in the first place, then she wouldn’t have been on that Talos mission and he would have barely known her. Though that Talos mission had been the best thing to happen to her in weeks, so she couldn’t really regret that chain of events...  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Before she knew it she was standing in front of Pike’s ready room. She drew in a breath, pushed away her anxious thoughts and resolutely pressed his door chime.  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Come,” a voice from inside called, and the door slid open. Captain Pike had been reviewing a PADD when she’d entered, but he put it down immediately and gestured for her to sit across from him. Then he looked her square in the eye and said, “Yeoman Colt, I owe you a sincere apology.”  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

She blinked in response.  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

He continued undeterred, “I know I haven’t given you the friendliest welcome to my ship. Your promotion came at a bad time for me personally – I was mourning, and I took my grief out on you. That was unworthy behavior of a captain. I don’t expect you to forgive me, but I wanted a chance to apologize.”  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Finally, Mia found her voice.  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Sir, does that mean you won’t give an unsatisfactory progress report to my new captain?”  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Captain Pike sat back, surprised.  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“New captain?” Glancing down at his PADD distractedly, he continued “I wasn’t aware you had put in a transfer request Yeoman, I must have missed it.”  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Oh, no sir I haven’t put in a request – I would have gotten that on your desk right away if I had – but I thought, well...” She trailed off, realizing she’d just dug herself in a bit of a hole. Although to be fair, by his own admission, Pike was currently standing in his own sizable hole, and by the uncomfortable look on his face, she had just flung some dirt onto him. She immediately decided she’d rather give him a hand.  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“It’s not that I want to leave sir. I love the Enterprise. And despite our first impressions of each other...” She hesitated, then plunged ahead, deciding to heed what she’d heard about the Captain appreciating candidness in his officers. “I just don’t think I’m the right fit for a Yeoman, sir.” She paused as a thought struck her, then carried on in a rush of excitement, “In fact, I think I’d like to transfer to Security. Perhaps this meeting would be a good opportunity to discuss it, sir?”  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Captain Pike sat back, regarding her thoughtfully. He grabbed his PADD and began swiping through some files.  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

“Well, Yeoman, your file suggests you performed admirably in your combat training modules. You’d have to take some additional training courses to qualify but given what I’ve seen of your performance in high stress situations, I’d say you definitely have the abilities.” He grinned somewhat sheepishly. “And as for staying on the Enterprise, I do believe we have some openings in our security department. I’ll get in contact with Commander Nhan immediately, so that she can schedule an interview with you. And...” his grin shifted into something a bit happier, “I’ll put a personal recommendation into your file."  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mia smiled back, relieved and excited. “Thank you sir! I won’t disappoint you!  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Captain Pike rose and stuck out his hand, “And I’ll stop disappointing you Yeoman, and do my best to be the captain you deserve."  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Mia had quickly jumped from her seat as well and grasped his hand in a firm shake, not quite believing the positive turn this meeting had taken. She couldn't wait to tell Ch'nel and Lorkette. After the captain had dismissed her she restrained herself to a fast walk back to her quarters, where she related her meeting to hearty congratulations and celebration. Just as she was settling back into her bed to finish her letter, her personal PADD chimed. She grabbed and saw that it was a priority message that had been automatically transferred from her on-duty PADD notifying her of a preliminary transfer request from the Captain to Commander Nhan - _wow that was fast!_ \- along with...  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Ugh," Mia sighed as she saw the list of attachments at the end of the Captain's message. "The paperwork. It’s endless."  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Just think though," spoke up Lorkette from her bunk where she'd been reading. Mia glanced at her.  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

"Now instead of filing forms for away missions," Lorkette bared her fangs in an expression of friendly taunting and finished "you get to write them up yourself!"  


_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Her barking laughter was quickly cut short as she was forced to dodge a fluffy projectile from her thoroughly unamused roommate.

_____________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Author's Note:**

> To be clear, I have nothing against being a Yeoman - Janice Rand is amazing and we don't deserve her, and Yeoman Tamura is a badass. I just felt like Colt wasn't given much to do in this episode and this storyline is the result. I like her spunk, and I think she'd do well in security. Also, that comment about her having "unusually strong female drives" by the Talosians was creepy - also, I feel like a sample size of three is not a great frame of reference for that.  
> 
> 
> While this story was inspired by the unaired pilot "The Cage," I did not like Pike character in that episode at all. However, Anson Mount's portrayal of the character in Star Trek Discovery has completely redeemed the character in my eyes, so I tried to channel that while I wrote him. The two portrayals are a bit incongruous, so I've tried to give Chris a chance to explain himself and redeem him here. Hopefully I did it justice.


End file.
